


Dream Guardians

by Tarash



Category: A Nightmare on Elm Street (Movies 1984-1994)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Dream World, Gen, Post-Canon, Yuletide Treat, dream powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 10:31:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17140145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarash/pseuds/Tarash
Summary: After the events of Dream Master, Alice figures out a way to keep the Dream World safe.





	Dream Guardians

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HerbertBest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbertBest/gifts).



> Your letter was a great excuse to re-watch some Nightmare on Elm Street movies, so thank you for requesting it! 
> 
> This fic takes place after Dream Master, but goes into a different direction than Dream Child.

Dan thinks she’s paranoid when she starts researching dreams, the Dream World, and what it means to be a Dream Master. “You said you defeated him, right? He’s gone. He’s powerless.”

“Still,” she replies, unable to shake that image of Freddy’s reflection in the fountain. “There’s no harm in it. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

She doesn’t say that Kristen was sure she put an end to Freddy Krueger too. And before Kristen, there was Nancy Thompson, a woman she has never met, but after freeing the souls of Freddy’s victims in the Dream World, Alice is certain that _something_ of Nancy has remained with her. It’s a feeling not unlike the powers she still has from her friends and the only explanation Alice can think of when she’s at the library of the local college and her feet know where to go before she’s asked a librarian for help.

Kristen told her about Nancy Thompson and Westin Hills Asylum, but Kristen didn’t know anything about Nancy’s college days or her research. It’s a remnant of Nancy inside of her that’s showing Alice where to find what she needs to know about dreams.

She tries not think that it’s Sheila’s study and research skills helping her too, along with Debbie’s determination and her brother’s self-discipline.

She reads Nancy’s research, using it as a lead to find more information. She takes the books home, reading on the couch while Dan watches television next to her.

“Aren’t you worried he’ll come back?” she asks one evening.

He shrugs, then smiles. “I’ve got you watching over me, don’t I?” He kisses her hair. “You’ve rescued me before.”

She smiles back, leaning into his embrace. “And what a fair damsel you were,” she teases. “Still, soon I won’t just be watching over you.” She puts her hand on her belly. She still can’t entirely believe she’s two months pregnant.

“Our kid is gonna have the best dreams ever,” Dan replies. He kisses her. “You’ll have to tell me about them. I wonder what babies dream about? Milk bottles? Or nightmares about dirty diapers?”

She laughs. “I’ll give you bad dreams about dirty diapers if you’re not careful!” She pointedly flips the page in the book she’s been reading. “Once I figure out how.”

*

She’s reading a chapter about the Dream World in a book Nancy quoted in her own research. It’s about the power of souls in the Dream World and how entities use them to become stronger. It matches Alice’s own experience with Freddy, where freeing the souls he absorbed left him defeated. But this book mentions other ways that power can be used and Alice’s mind goes back to what she told Dan about watching over their baby.

She can’t guard the dreams of two different people, not by herself.

But she knows exactly who she can turn to for help.

*

It takes two more weeks of research to figure it out, and then three more weeks before Alice has gathered the courage to go back to the boiler room where Kristen died. 

It’s eerily quiet in the Dream World as she walks around, her heart in her throat, trying not to jump at every shadow.

Fear gives Freddy power, she remembers from Nancy’s research. She can’t give in to that fear.

There’s a lump in her throat when she looks at the furnace. It’s cold now, and empty.

She closes her eyes, summoning a mental image of Kristen dying in the burning furnace. At the same time, she’s remembering the bright light of the souls leaving Freddy Krueger’s body. She focuses on both memories. Kristen’s soul is free. Kristen’s soul can move on.

Or it can come back here.

“Alice?”

When Alice hears her friend’s voice, tentative and unsure, tears well up in her eyes. She opens them and Kristen is there. “Kristen!”

Kristen stares at her, then she grins and rushes over to hug Alice tight. “Alice.”

Alice hugs her back, unable to believe it. Kristen feels solid in her arms. “Kristen.”

Kristen pulls back. “Are we just gonna keep saying each other’s names, or what?”

Alice laughs at that, wiping a tear away. “Sorry.”

Kristen is still smiling as she looks around. “He’s gone, isn’t he?”

“For now.” Alice bites her lip when the smile fades from Kristen’s face. “I think he’s still out there somewhere, gathering strength or trying to figure out how to do that.”

“Of course he is.” Kristen’s face is determined. “You want to find him and defeat him for good?”

“I don’t know if that’s possible,” Alice admits. “I have an idea, but I’m gonna need your help.” She holds out her hand and Kristen takes it. “Show me where Nancy died.”

*

Summoning Nancy is more difficult than summoning Kristen, but Alice manages it.

“I thought you’d be taller,” she blurts out when Nancy stands in front of her. After having heard about her from Kristen and having read her research, it’s strange to finally meet the woman herself.

Sort of.

“Kristen?” For a moment, Nancy looks like a confused, scared young woman, not the determined Dream Warrior Kristen talked about.

“Nancy!” Kristen hugs her, and when she pulls back, Nancy looks a little calmer.

“Who are you?” Nancy asks, moving to stand in front of Kristen.

Alice smiles when she realizes Nancy is even now protecting Kristen. “I’m Kristen’s friend.”

Nancy looks from Alice to Kristen. “What?”

“Oh yeah,” Kristen says, shrugging. “Nancy, meet Alice. Alice, meet Nancy. It’s kind of a long story.”

*

“This is where you ended him?” Nancy asks.

They’re all gathered in the church where Alice defeated Freddy Krueger. “This exact spot.”

Nancy kneels down to touch the stones. “Interesting,” she murmurs. “And you said you freed the souls of his victims?”

Alice nods. “Yes, including yours. That’s how I was able to summon you here.”

Nancy stands up, dusting off her hands. “But unlike Freddy, you only used a part of our soul,” she replies. “And you’re not absorbing us.”

“Of course not.” Alice is horrified at the suggestion. “I only absorbed your power. Your knowledge.”

“Hmm, but I didn’t forget anything,” Nancy replies. “Kristen?”

Kristen looks puzzled for a moment, then nods. “Stand back,” she says, and before Alice knows it, Kristen jumps against the wall, turning in the air and doing a back flip over their heads.   

Nancy applauds when Kristen lands only a few feet away from them, while Alice can only stare. “You didn’t absorb our power,” Nancy tells Alice. “We’re sharing it. Or else I wouldn’t know what I know and Kristen wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Alice never even thought about that, which only cements the fact that this really is Nancy Thompson talking to her. It’s not some figment from her own mind based on what she’s read and heard. “You’re real. That’s good.”

“Of course we’re real,” Kristen tells her. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Nancy looks at Alice. “Because this is the Dream World,” she says. “Krueger’s domain. But if what you’ve told me is true, it’s your domain now. You’re the Dream Master. You’ve brought a small part of us back here. Why?”

“To be Dream Guardians.”

Nancy and Kristen exchange a look. “What?” Kristen asks.

“Guardians?” Nancy’s voice is thoughtful. “That could work.”

“What could work?” Kristen is looking from Alice to Nancy and back to Alice. “Someone tell me what’s going on.”

“I can’t watch over dreams twenty four seven,” Alice tells her friend. “You’ve seen the size of this place, I can’t protect it by myself.”

“So you’re getting other people to help you,” Nancy finishes for her. “Dream Guardians.”

“And I thought, who better than you two.” Now that her plan is out, and with Nancy and Kristen standing before her, Alice feels nervous. What if they say no?

“So,” Kristen says, “you want the two of us to stay in the Dream World and keep an eye out for Freddy Krueger?”

“Yes.” Alice’s stomach is squirming now. What has she done? Why did she drag them into this? Kristen and Nancy deserve peace, not to have a part of them stuck here. “If it’s okay with you.”

Kristen shakes her head. “Of course it’s okay with us! I know better than anyone how good Krueger is at coming back. He won’t stand a chance with us here.”

“Exactly,” Nancy adds. “Besides, this way I can continue my own research into dreams and the Dream World.”

“You know you won’t be able to publish any of it, right?” Kristen asks, smiling.

“Well, maybe _I_ won’t, but someone else will.” Nancy gives Alice a significant look.

Alice laughs, relieved and giddy. “Why not,” she replies. “I was following in your footsteps already.” She pulls both of them in a hug, closing her eyes. She feels safe in a way she hasn’t felt for months. “Maybe I can finally get a full night’s sleep now,” she mumbles.

“We’ll be watching over your dreams,” Kristen says, rubbing Alice’s back.

“We’ll keep each other safe,” Nancy adds.

Alice smiles. Together, they can keep everybody safe.

 


End file.
